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Monday, March 28, 2011

Editing for Grammarphobes: Possessives

As most of you know, the possessive form of singular nouns is formed by adding an apostrophe s. If the noun ends with an s, add an apostrophe only.

Examples

the mummy’s curse

a writer’s work

babies’ blankets

The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th edition, cites a few exceptions to this rule for common nouns, including “notable cases where tradition and euphony dictate the use of the apostrophe only.”

Example

for appearance’ (conscience’ or righteousness’) sake

Nouns that are closely linked should be thought of as a single unit. When showing possession, the second noun takes the possessive.

Examples

her aunt and uncle’s boat

mom and dad’s car

The book notes that “when ‘ownership’ is separate, however, both nouns take the possessive form.”

Example

our son’s and daughter’s friends

Source The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th edition. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1969.

Call for Submissions

What does parenthood mean to you?

Bibliophilic Blather is looking for Parenthood Flash Fiction for May. As always, submissions should be 500 words or less. Email them to karen@karenberner.com, and please put “Flash Fiction Fridays” in the subject line. And, if you have not already, please sign up to follow Bibliophilic Blather, so we can build our online community.

Submissions are due May 2. Thanks.

New Fasano Book Released

Bestselling, award-winning author of more than thirty novels, Donna Fasano has been making her impressive back catalog available for Kindle e-readers. Her latest, Taking Love in Stride, was just released. I know Donna through Kindleboards, and after sampling the book, could not resist purchasing it. Here’s the description.

Track coach Andrea O'Connor is fuming at the audacity of Ian Powers, the very attractive father of one of her students. He offered to buy school equipment only if Andrea agreed to train him for a half-marathon.

Well, train him, she would. And not just in running. As a widower with a high-powered job, Ian needed some instruction in being a father to an active teenage daughter. Yet as this overbearing man opened up, Andrea found herself learning lessons...in loving.

Ian knew that Andrea, with her assertive attitude and her penchant for stilettos, was some woman! But her vulnerable heart was on the run, so he'd have to prove that his love, unlike his running, had limitless endurance, and once he caught this swift beauty, he'd never let her go.

I looked it up in "The Chicago Manual of Style" and Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style" and was surprised to find so many variations of this rule that I am going to do Monday's "Editing for Grammarphobes" on this very topic.

Sorry I do not have an answer now, but come back on Monday, and I promise to have a full primer on this topic.

About Me

Karen Wojcik Berner writes contemporary women’s fiction, including the Bibliophiles series. An award-winning journalist, her work has appeared in several magazines, newspapers, and blogs, including the Chicago Tribune, Writer Unboxed, Women's Fiction Writers, and Fresh Fiction. She is a member of the Chicago Writers’ Association.

When not writing, she can be found on the sidelines of her youngest’s football or lacrosse games, discussing the Celts with the oldest, or snuggling into a favorite reading chair with a good book and some tea.

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